Graphic by Lily Upadhyay. 

ELIANA PRELLWITZ | OPINION COLUMNIST | eprellwitz@butler.edu 

Aesthetic restocking videos, an influencer showing off a product or maybe Shein ads persuading us to buy a three-dollar top fill our feeds. Seems harmless right? But it’s not. It’s the gateway to overconsumption and a culture cultivating this unethical, unsustainable lifestyle. 

Overconsumption is the excess use of goods, products or services, which causes environmental waste. Think of it as putting too much on your plate every single time you eat. You grab too much but don’t eat it all — it’s a waste of food. Basically, it’s buying more than you need. So how can we as individuals try to even the scales?

Lists, lists, lists

While at the store, going shopping, getting food or online shopping, don’t get distracted — be sure to make a list. Sit down and think about what you really need to buy. 

Nathan Rhyne, a first-year computer science major, shared his strategies for buying new goods.

“One thing I do is a pro-con list when thinking about making larger purchases,” Rhyne said. “I make a pro and con list of what the benefits of buying this are and how much money it’s going to set me back? Are there other downsides? That usually helps me make a final decision.”

Asking these kinds of questions anytime you pick up a product or add something to your cart can completely change the way you shop. It can be really easy to buy a product that catches your eye, or that pops up on your feed. My advice is to stick to your list. If you only buy what you need and follow your list, it will be easier to avoid temptation; plus, you will save money. 

Quality over quantity

Fast fashion, like Shein, is unethical, does not last and most importantly, drains your bank account. No, you are not saving money if you buy twenty items every month that you will have to replace within the year or sooner — and no, you don’t need a new top every time you go out. 

Try to find companies with items, clothing and products that will last you, or will be replaced or refurbished by the company. A great example is the patagonia repair policy, which allows you to send their product back to be fixed or recycled. A pair of pants or a shirt can last years, and be fixed by the company for you to wear for even more. 

Master your mind

You are the master of your money, of your choices and most importantly, your mind. We are the consumers; we demand what is to be produced. So let’s stop demanding poor-quality products that we throw away in a few months just to get something new. Demand quality, only buy what you need and control yourself. 

First-year pre-pharmacy major, Kaluni Eba, expressed her frustration with the lack of quality and the abundance of quantity.

“I feel like at this point it’s hard to even tell apart what’s fast fashion and what isn’t,” said Eba. “It’s difficult to find a way to ethically shop because [companies] are all unethical.”

Unfortunately, it’s gotten to the point where companies are fine with producing subpar items because that is the culture we have created around it. Society pressures young people to fit in, to buy more, and so companies add to that pressure, knowing that we will give in. But we control the narrative and what’s demanded — let’s change it. 

Get your use, not your fix

Skin care, hair care, food and even clothing will eventually run out or not be usable anymore. So why buy something before that point? You wouldn’t buy two new toothpastes before you’re done with the one you’re using, so why stock up on anything else? 

Sophomore chemistry major Millicent Robarge discussed how she fights fast fashion and overconsumption.

“People are always constantly buying things,”  Robarge said. “I think it’s hard to keep up with that and be like maybe I don’t really need this, I have to [think], is this worth sending this much money on? Is it something I am going to wear a lot, or is it going to end up in the back of the closet?” 

I understand it’s fun to buy and to have the new trending item, and we all give in on occasion, but it should be occasional, not every time we shop. Remember — this is a discipline and takes time. Practice these skills, lean on your friends and think of the real impacts of your shopping. What you buy doesn’t just affect you; it affects us all.